Framingham Had Over 20 Complaints Of Fireworks July 4th

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The first thing most people think of when they hear "July 4th" is fireworks, and some Framingham residents are no exception. Although fireworks are outlawed in the city, Framingham police department's call log for Independence Day shows quite a few people decided to set some rockets off anyway.

According to the department's police log, on July 4th alone, 22 calls complaining about fireworks going off were made to the station. While plenty of fireworks were set off, no arrests were made, according to the call logs.

Fireworks are not just outlawed in Framingham but in Massachusetts as a whole. The law is pretty clear about fireworks in the Bay State. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 148, Section 39, reads:

"It is illegal for private citizens to use, possess, or sell fireworks in Massachusetts, or to purchase them legally elsewhere and then transport them into the state. The law prohibits any article designed to produce a visible or audible effect."

That's a long way of saying: Don't use or have fireworks, and buying them in New Hampshire does not make it more OK to use or have them. The law covers all fireworks, from bottle rockets to sparklers.

The penalty for breaking these rules can be up to a $1,000 fine or one year in prison. Of course, there aren't enough jail cells in Massachusetts to house all the offenders.

Framingham doesn't have city-sponsored fireworks shows but other neighboring municipalities like Milford do. The city made it a point to remind residents not to set off fireworks with a brief "Leave it to the professionals" campaign on social media.